


Blackbird

by sp1lt_1nk



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety, Caduceus Clay makes good tea, Chronic Illness, Depressed Caleb Widogast, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Essek Thelyss Has Chronic Pain, Essek needs a break, Exhaustion, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Minor Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, Overworking, Sickfic, Song: Blackbird (The Beatles), Stress Relief, anxious Essek Thelyss, essek/ caleb if you squint, fibromyalgia, hinted at - Freeform, kinda ???, past Caleb Widowgast/ Mollymauk Tealeaf, platonic or romantic, soft moments, tea is good at 4AM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:14:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23241577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sp1lt_1nk/pseuds/sp1lt_1nk
Summary: Jester invites Essek over for a sleepover! however, with his overworked, chronically pained and completely exhausted body, Essek runs into a little trouble. thankfully one member of the mighty nein seems to understand more than most.read if you enjoy angst and hurt/comfort and also soft moments of drinking tea at 4AM in a cozy kitchen
Relationships: Essek Thelyss & Caleb Widogast, Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, The Mighty Nein & Essek Thelyss
Comments: 10
Kudos: 266





	Blackbird

Essek had been less than thrilled with the proposition of a ‘sleepover’ Jester had described. He’d agreed in the end, mostly out of pressure from Beau and the blue tiefling herself. It was true he was too tightly wound these days, and the modest dip in the hot tub had eased the ache in his legs significantly. He supposed that the other members of the Mighty Nein would keep the more chaotic ones at bay. 

As the days passed, his work only picked up. Between his position in court and the steadily approaching peace negotiations, the drow felt as if he needed to be in three places at once. There were no longer enough hours in a day to complete his work to the standard he had set himself. Others had noticed his faulters and the slack in his usually so methodical notes and reports. His schedule was steadily taking over the hours he had set aside for personal projects and trancing.

By the day of the dreaded ‘sleepover’ Essek hadn’t tranced in over two days. The usual bone-deep ache now was almost unbearable. On a good day, Essek would simply hover instead of walking, but with no rest in the past few days, his magic was slowly ebbing away. 

He had been debating sending Jester a message to Jester where he would respectfully decline the invitation and apologize for the short notice when her bubbly voice popped into his already pounding head.

“ _Hiya Essek! We are all soooo happy that you are coming over tonight! Caduceus is cooking, so don’t be late! P.S do you like cupcakes?_ ”

Somewhat thankful he didn’t need to cast the spell himself, Essek took a moment to gather his thoughts before replying. 

“Jester, I-” He paused for a moment. He didn’t want to let her down, nor any of the others. If they were all happy for his arrival, it would surely be insulting to refuse just hours before. He always hated last-minute cancellations and therefore would be a hypocrite if he declined.

He took a deep breath and continued, “will make sure to be on time as usual. I… cannot say; I haven’t had a cupcake in a long time.”

There was a brief moment where the spell lingered, waiting for his last two words. But soon the magic faded and Essek began to clean up his papers when Jester’s voice, much louder than the time before, barged into his mind again. 

“ _OHMYGOSH ESSEK! You must try the ones from this bakery I found! They’re totally delicious and they have these little black sprinkles on top and_ -”

Essek would have replied but the levitation spell he had been concentrating on suddenly fell as a flare deep in the muscle of his leg took hold. He let out an undignified sound as he hit the floor while the cramping sensation in his leg became even more intense. His breath hitched as he left as if the muscle in his legs was being pinched between a rok’s talons. 

It had been months since a flare had been bad enough to break his concentration. 

The common feeling of Jester’s presents once again popped into his mind. “ _Essek? Are you okay? Are you in pain? I’ve heard a lot of people die and that sounded almost the same- oh Caleb! We really should_ -”

The message cut off but Essek was focused on getting upright again. With a few muffled groans curses, Essek was able to prop himself up in one of the chairs in his study. He was mortified Jester had heard the ordeal and he hoped she wouldn’t tell every member of the mighty nien about the unbecoming sounds he’d made.\ 

The flare passed eventually, leaving him as shaky as a newborn colt with a throbbing pain in his leg and dull pain in his stomach. A headache had also made itself abruptly known when Essek stood up again, the drow groaning from both the pain in his leg and the added agony of an oncoming migraine. 

He had just finished his small incantation for his levitation and a quick disguise self-made his messy hair and dark under-eye look smooth and blemish-free. With the pressure off his leg and the pain ebbed a little, but the lingering ache remained. With a weary sigh, seek opened his door and started off toward’s the mighty nein’s residence. 

He had just gotten outside of his property when he nearly collided with a flustered blue trifling, he rushed to apologize before her distinct accent and familiar loud voice caused his headache to skyrocket. 

“Essek! Oh my gosh, I thought you had died or something. I was so worried!” she squeaked before tugging him down slightly. He resisted but she gave him a soft look. “Essek, you don’t need to float around us, remember?” 

He forced a smile as his leg reluctantly held his weight. 

“Jester,” Caleb spoke, almost starting Essek with his sudden presence. Essek flushed as he realized that Caleb had also accompanied Jester in her worried visit. “If he feels more comfortable in the, uh, open, then he should be able to float as he pleases.” 

Jester shot the other wizard a sideways glare before smiling back to Essek. She patted his shoulder but stopped trying to pull him down. “Okay…. But you shouldn’t float back at the xorhouse. You don't need to be fancy Essek, you can be… well, normal Essek I guess!” she beamed at him. 

A small bit of weight was lifted from his shoulders, but not much. But he felt the need to prove to her that he was changing, that he was trying to be better. 

“It’s not an issue,” he said softly before gently setting himself back on the ground again. His leg panged in retaliation, but it held steady. 

“You look good Essek,” Jester commented as they walked. “Your hair always looks so perfect. How do you make it so- so-” she gestured wildly at her hair as if that would form the words for her. “You always look so fancy.” 

“A wizard’s secret,” was his only answer. 

“Caleb never looks fancy,” she muttered sourly under her breath. Essek’s keen elvan hearing picked up on her grumbles despite her quiet tone. 

Usually walking on a bad flare-up day meant Essek had little to no energy, his lower limbs felt like solid platinum. The short walk from his tower to the mighty nein’s home took almost all fo Essek’s energy and he was sure to crumple to the ground if he was made to walk much more. He was thankful that this evening was a ‘sleepover’ so he wouldn’t have to walk home; his spells were completely depleted. 

“Oh, wonderful. It’s good to see you Essek,” Caduceus said in his low and soothing voice when he opened the door. He had always stood much taller than Essek, but now that he was firmly planted on the ground, Essek found himself craning his neck to look at the firbolg’s face. 

“Lovely to see you again as well.” 

He knew he sounded put out or perhaps a bit harsh but the pain in his head from Jester’s near-constant talking and the pain radiating from his leg to his spine was making him rather short-tempered. 

He also hadn’t slept in days. That certainly didn’t help things. 

“You look a little beat, would you like to sit down?” 

At Caduceus’ observation Jester and Caleb exchanged an equally confused look as they tailed behind. 

“Beat? Essek looks as perfect as usual” 

“He does… well, he looks like Essek normally does.” 

“Duh, Caleb. He always looks perfect!” 

Essek smiled slightly before wincing as his knee threatened to stop supporting his weight right then and there in the middle of their patchwork living room. 

Beau and Fjord were already seated in the living room. Beau was a tangle of limbs and had decided to ignore all logical ways of sitting in favour of taking up as much space as possible, Fjord, on the other hand, was contained to the furniture he was sitting on but was relaxed. 

They both sat up a little and Essek was slightly pleased that most of them still thought of him as a sort of authority. He internally cringed after the intrusive thought had passed. He was trying to be better. 

The closets possible seat was the couch that Beauregard was sprawled on so Essek made his way over to the chair across from Fjord. 

“You’re not floating, shadowhand,” beau remarked sarcastically. It was no secret she wanted him to be punished for his crimes and therefore was as prickly as a thornbush. 

“Im a little tapped, as some would say, at the moment.” 

It wasn’t a lie, he was completely out of energy. Now, the foggy mindest that so often accompanied his flares starting to work its way into effect. Thankfully it made his headache a little more bearable as he started to drift. 

“Ah yes your-” 

Fjords lough chough interrupted whatever Beauregard was going to say. Fjord gave her a stern look before turning to Essek. 

“I hope you don't mind, everyone has been a little… tense lately. I apologize for any,” he shot another sharp look at beau as she sulked, “inappropriate behaviour.” 

“Im not a child, dude. I can handle myself,” Beauregard retorted, throwing a well-aimed ball bearing at the half-orc. 

Essek’s leg was going a little numb, a relief from the constant throbbing pain it had been before. He watched with a well-hidden smile as the other two bickered back and forth before nott- Veth- he reminded himself, marched into the room. She was dressed in a bright yellow dress that had as many pockets as it did ruffles. The buttons sewn onto the dress' hem and the sleeves rattled a little as she took up a seat on a smaller chair right beside Essek. 

“You’re sitting in Yasha’s chair,” the halfling commented a little coldly as she shifted in her seat. 

It took Essek’s clouded mind a moment to put it together. Each member had a distinct chair. The one he was sitting in was large and dark blue with white stitching on the cushion. Veth’s was small to match her size and it looked as if it had buttons and gems painted on it. Fjord had a simple wooden chair with a woven seat and back while Beauregard had a leather couch that had been dyed blue and copper studs to embellish. 

There were only seven chairs. It was inevitable he would sit in someone’s spot. 

“I’m terribly sorry,” he said as he stood, trying to push past the dizzying change in orientation. 

He managed to get closer to the chair he believed to be Caduceus’ before he tried to sit on the floor. His leg, now fully fed up with his antics, decided it should no longer hold his weight and the wizard sat rather unceremoniously. He’d managed to make it look natural and no one commented on his strange behaviour. 

A few moments passed before everyone else came into the living room. Caleb had changed into slightly nicer clothes with Frumpkin draped around his neck. behind him was Caduceus and Jester, who both carried a few plates of food to the small table. Yasha was behind them, her swords nowhere to be seen aa soft smile on her face. 

“Oh, Hallo Essek,” she said before sitting in her chair. 

“Why are you sitting on the floor, my friend?” Caleb asked as he sat in the stiff-looking char besides Veth. “Im sure beau-” 

“Nope, my couch. I paid for it; I choose who sits in it.” the expositor retorted. “My couch, my fuckin’ rules.” 

“It is fine, really. I wouldn’t want to disrupt your seating arrangements.” 

Caduceus had just finished putting the last plate on the table. “Essek can have my seat, I'm needed in the kitchen anyway,” he said. 

Essek was tried of hauling himself up on furniture, but with one final use of his energy, he managed to make a somewhat dignified attempt at standing. 

They chatted but Essek was slowly getting left behind in the conversation. The numbness that had seeped into his leg had spread to the arm on the same side and it felt as if he was getting pelted by sharp pieces of gem dust, a prickling feeling in his fingers and toes. 

“Are you alright, Essek?” 

The question bought Essek back to the conversation with a jolt. He had spaced out and had missed whatever they had been talking about. 

“I'm quite alright, thank you,” he said, aware that his accent had thickened, but that was usual right before one of his migraines. He glanced around the room and everyone was looking at him strangely. 

“Essek… you really don't look okay.” 

“You look like shit, dude,” 

“Beau! Be nice to Essek!” 

“Im not wrong!” 

The rising voices caused Essek’s head to swim dangerously. Everything was too bright and too loud. It was the worst possible time for everything, the flares, this gathering, his migraine, his work and his dealing with the empire. It was all too much and he almost folded under the weight. 

“I have had a very long day of work, I have a terrible headache and I would rather be in my home.” he snapped, his head hung to block out some of the light. “However, Jester made it seem as if I was wanted here, but if she was mistaken I find no fault if you ould like me to leave.” 

“Wait- no Essek don't go.” Jester looked heartbroken. 

“Yeah Essek, you don't need to leave.” Beau looked a little taken aback but was genuine in her tone. 

“Is it too bright in here for you?” Caleb asked, tentatively rubbing Essek’s shoulder though his heavy mantle and cloaks 

“It’s manageable. It just was rather loud, even for human standards.” Essek lifted his head and winced as the bright light made his eyes throb. He felt nauseated but above all else, he felt guilty. 

“I’m sorry,” he rushed to apologize after recounting his harsh words. “I’ve gone and ruined your dinner. Thank you but I should probably go-” 

“Please stay Essek, you look very poorly.” Jester pleaded and Fjord, who was sitting beside her, nodded in agreement. 

Of course, his disguise spell had worn off. 

“Why don't you go lie down while Caduceus finishes dinner and then we’ll eat in that room, like a real sleepover!” Jester suggested excitedly. 

The shadowhand’s sensitive ears twitched at the loud sound and his stomach rolled unpleasantly. 

“Truly, it is not-” 

He didn’t have time to protest before Jester, ever one to forget about personal space, was tugging him to his feet. 

“Caleb’s room is the closest and he’s got all these books. Oh and his cat collection! Do you like cats Essek?” 

Essek was having a hard time keeping his face neutral as he felt his shell of formality shatter. She was by nature a chatty person, but Essek’s head was begging for her to stop talking if only for a moment. 

“Oh, sorry. Do you want me to try to heal you? Maye that would make your head feel better?” 

“I think… I think I’m alright. Fewer questions perhaps.” he said quietly, even the sound of his own voice was too loud for his overstimulated hearing. 

Jester, to his relief, only nodded with a sad smile and finished leading him to Caleb’s room. The other wizard had trailed after them, looking uncomfortable. Perhaps he didn’t agree with Essek taking residence in his room. 

“Caleb doesn’t usually let me in here,” she whispered to him as she cracked open the door. 

“Perhaps I shall escort Essek? Since it is my room, and it’s eh, rather a mess.” Caleb suggested with a little desperation. 

“Oh yes! Of course.” the trifling squeaked, turning around to look at Caleb. 

He was glad Jester was turned to see the human so she didn’t notice that her voice made him wince, his eyebrows pinched together and his nose scrunched in discomfort. 

Caleb noticed, however. The man’s observant blue eyes seemed to look right through him. The difference between them, the human had once said, was thinner than a razor. Perhaps he saw something of himself in Essek’s useless form. 

“Here, let me help you friend.” 

Caleb had made use of calling him his friend as if to remind him that he was indeed truly a friend. Essek had very few true friends, but over his century of existence, he had never had better friends than this mismatched group. As Caleb’s arm replaced Jester, the blue teifling gave him a wink before skipping off down the hall. 

As soon as she was gone Essek allowed himself to be vulnerable, he dropped all acts of normalcy and permitted Caleb the chance to help im across the small room to the bed. He was a human crutch of sorts, staying on Essek’s side where he needed more support for his leg. Usually, Essek would be annoyed by unrequested help, but he felt too poorly to try and uphold his dignity. 

He lost time as Caleb must have gotten him in his bed. Essek had a bed but rarely used it. He usually only tranced sitting in a chair of sometimes standing in his study. He could sleep if he chose, but why waste time sleeping if a trace could be completed in much less time? 

“Essek? Do you need anything?” Caleb’s voice sounded worried and rushed as if he had asked multiple times before Essek had been able to respond. 

“Can you cast silence on Jester perhaps?” 

His response elated a chuckle from Caleb, who had stumbled over to a chair in the dark. “I don't believe I have that spell ready for today.” 

There was a small flicker of white and Essek could see from his reclined seat on the bed that Caleb’s eyes had gone white. 

“I don't wish to hurt you, so I will stay quiet, but Frumpkin is very good at comforting people.” 

There was a whisper of displaced air before Frumpkin, Caleb’s ever-present familiar, trotted over to his lap and settled himself down on Essek’s abdomen. He purred heartily and when the cat opened his eyes, they were a soft glowing white. 

Essek scratched the cat’s ears a few times before settling for small strokes of the cats back, using as little movement as possible. 

Frumpkin’s purring grew in volume, but it was such a low frequency that it didn’t hurt Essek’s hearing. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, feeling himself start to slip out of the fog of his mind and into a deep trance. 

“Rest, friend. We will be here when you wake up.” 

**** 

I was much later when Essek woke, his head only throbbing gently instead of a wash of pain. He had fallen asleep, remarkably, and it was now deep into the night. He went to stand but saw that the entirety of the mighty nein was sleeping in Caleb’s room. His dark vision allowed him to see that they had all brought their bedrolls and pillows in and had set but a makeshift camp. Jester had fallen asleep practically on top of Fjord and beau and Yasha were curled up in a similar fashion. Veth had joined Caleb in the large chair where he had last seen the wizard. Caduceus had managed to curl himself into a ball that seemed almost impossibly small for the firbolg’s towering size. 

Essek smiled softly before gingerly stepping over and between the sprawled friends. He debated using a levitation spell, but it would be of more use later than at the moment. His leg had seemed to calm down and only ached anyway. 

Essek was used to being a collaboration between pain and exhaustion. Usually, when things got bad he would push through until the last possible second. He had managed to never take time off of work, but the bright queen was more flexible with his schedule. After all, his work was his life. 

The mighty nein were… more caring than his queen, however. She expected things in return for her kindness while his friends seemed to dish it out and didn’t expect him to solve the puzzles of the universe. They only asked for the same in return, kindness and trust. 

Essek had been rather shit at both of those. 

The house was empty, everyone had piled into Caleb’s room leaving the rest of the huge house gaping and lonely. 

Esse made his way to the kitchen, occasionally pausing as his leg gave a weak twinge. E felt marginally better than before, but the constant worry about work and finishing projects had returned, making him restless and unable to go back to sleep. 

He sat at one of the chairs in their kitchen and summoned his pocket dimension, pulling out his notebooks and a folder for notes. He was working on a new spell for Caleb, one of his own creations that would merge transmutation with dunamancy. The scribbles on his page were making less and less sense as the hours passed. He had fallen into the fog again, retracing his last notes and trying to make sense of the last few notes he had made. He was so focused that he didn’t notice Frumpkin until the fae cat had jumped onto the table, disrupting his notes. 

“Frunpkin,” he said, surprised by the cat’s sudden presence. “You are a very sneaky cat, I must admit.” 

“Ja, he is,” 

Esek jumped at Caleb’s voice, his notes were now forgotten on the table. 

“Sorry to startle you, but I noticed you were not in the room when I woke up. I thought you had left.” the wizard explained. “But I am glad you are still here.” 

“Mr. Widowghast,” Essek’s voice was softer now, less guarded, “it’s very late, you should be asleep.” 

“It is very early,” Caleb corrected, “ 3:47 to be exact. We are not going anywhere tomorrow so I don't mind sleeping in if I need to.” Caleb had moved to around the kitchen and had pulled out some of Caduceus’ tea and two mugs. “Tea?” 

“That would be most kind.” 

Caleb put the kettle on the stove and came to sit beside the drow, gathering the scattered papers and handing them back to their owner. He looked deep in thought for a moment before he spoke again. 

“Essek, we were- are- very worried about you. You looked, to be rather frank, like death warmed over.” he stopped then, but Essek gave him a moment to gather the words. “A headache doesn’t do that to a person.” 

Essek let himself relax a little in his seat. He trusted Caleb the most out of the mighty nein. They were similar yet different. Caleb shrank in on himself, a little less now, but Essek stood in plain view and was almost regal in comparison. But with Caleb, he had no need and it was so freeing. 

“I'll admit,” he said shakily, resting his hands on the table, “ that I have been, a little swamped with work for the past few days. I-” he was never very good at talking about his feelings or his state of mind. It had never been a priority until Jester had started asking how he was. 

He pushed through and found the words eventually. “In all honesty, I have a condition, rather like a curse if that helps you understand.” he took a deep breath before finally admitting the flaw he had kept hidden from so many. “It’s impractical and limiting but I can live with it to the best of my ability. The severity of it fluctuates from one day to the next, but sometimes it has, as you would say the ‘upper hand’.” 

Caleb’s brows were knitted together and forming direct eye contact with Essek, something that rarely occurred with Caleb. “Is it in your mind? Like a consuming feeling?” 

“I don't think I understand,” Essek replied, his head tilted slightly in confusion. 

“It is like-” Caleb suddenly stood and started to walk back towards the kettle, it was whistling but hadn’t started to scream yet. Caleb poured the water into two cups before talking again. “It’s like a void in your chest and it consumes you slowly. It’s like corruption... But uh…” Caleb trailed off, averting his gaze once again as he handed esske a mug. 

Essek took the mug and held it in his cold hands. A faint scent of lavender and rose accompanied the steam rising from the tea. 

“Caduceus’ tea?” he asked, letting the warmth sink into his head and the steam to clear a little bit of the fog in his mind and the tremor in his hands. 

“Yes, made in memory of an old… an old friend. It helps me feel calm. I hoped it would help you.” he said, his gaze flicking up towards Essek but returning quickly to his tea. 

Essek took a tentative sip. Usually, he only drank dark teas with a spice. The taste was new but welcome. 

“Its very good. I normally would not drink something like this, but it proves to be very good for nerves.” 

“Oh? Is there something troubling you?” Caleb asked? Snapping Frumpkin onto the table. The orange cat wound his way around the wizard and settled against his chest. 

“Ah, Widowghast. When is there not?” Essek mumbled, not intending for the wizard to hear him, but he had leaned forward to stroke Frumpkin and his voice had carried through the silent kitchen. 

“Do you wish to talk about it? I am rather inept at such conversations but I can be a listening ear.” 

Essek’s eyes widened at the proposition, his hand freezing mid stoke of the familiar’s coat. 

“That is not- that is not necessary-” 

“It might not be necessary, but it is something I’m willing to provide.” 

“I do not wish to make you uncomfortable-” 

“Essek,” the wizard spoke sternly, suddenly taking Essek’s face in his hands. “If I hadn't wanted to, I would not have suggested it.” 

Caleb’s hands were warm and rough against the smooth skin of the drow’s face. There were calluses on his fingers from holding a quill for too long and from the wear and tear of adventuring. He was such a physical foil to Essek it almost surprised him that they had such a deep understanding of each other. 

“I-” Essek could feel his face heating up as Caleb gently stroked his cheek with his thumb, just for a moment before letting go of his face. 

“I am here as your friend Essek, so is Jester and Cad and all the rest. We care about you.” 

“Somehow,” Essek added rather cheekily, letting himself crack a smile. He could tell his canines were on full display, but he felt it was appropriate for a genuine display of affection. 

Caleb took a slight inhale of air and his eyes immediately went to the drow’s oversized teeth, almost fang-like. 

“I did not know drow had fangs,” he commented, his eyes once again dropping to his tea as he tried to hide the blush that crept up on his freckled cheeks. 

“Most do not, fortunately. but alas I have been stuck with this unfortunate body for this lifetime.” Essek sighed, taking a large sip of his tea. His leg gave a sharp pulse of pain as Caleb’s leg brushed his knee under the table. He bit back a hiss at the sudden burning sensation. 

“It is not unfortunate, Essek. You are rather handsome. Im sure Jester has told you many times.” 

“Of course, but there are drawbacks for being as attractive as I am,” he joked, giving a slightly bigger smile as Caleb choked a little on his tea. 

“Pardon,” Caleb excused himself with a cough before looking just past Essek’s ear. “Is it the same, er, drawback as your… condition?” 

Ah, back to the true reason for their conversation 

“You are sharp Mr. Widowghast. Yes. my _condition_.” he spoke the word as if it was a curse. 

“If you are comfortable, would you enlighten me? I am rather in the dark here.” 

Essek took a long sip of tea. “I have a condition that is rather rare for a drow. I’m not sure if there are similar things for humans, but in its simplest form it causes me pain.” Caleb nodded in understanding and somewhat encouraging Essek to continue. “While there is usually general pain, mine seems to be the worst in my leg. There are ‘flares’ of pain that make walking difficult. That is why I have perfected my levitation spell, to ease the pain from walking.” 

“And we have been making you walk while you are here,” Caleb mumbled in growing disappointment. 

It was Essek’s turn to reach across the table, his hand pausing for a moment before lightly resting on Caleb’s. He knew Caleb shied away from physical contact, but he hadn’t withdrawn his had when Essek paused in silent permission so the drow gently squeezed his hand. 

“You could not have known. I do not blame you, or your friends.” 

“But-” 

“Caleb,” he said, interrupting the spiral of self-blame that would surely come. He rarely used Caleb’s given name, opting for the more professional Widowghast or Mr. Widoghast if he was feeling a little brash. “I do not blame you, or the others. It was refreshing to reenact how you view normal behaviours. It was interesting. The pain is usually manageable. Tonight, however, there were many different issues all adding together.” 

“Like a glass that overflows after too many drops of water have been added. One drop too many,” he made a little gesture with his hands, “and sploosh.” 

“Yes, if I am understanding your metaphor correctly.” Essek chuckled. 

They finished their tea in silence after that, the lavender and rose brew had cooled significantly by then, but it was still good. 

“How are you feeling now, shadowhand?” 

“Better. Thank you, Mr. Caleb.” 

“You are one strange bird, Thelyss. A blackbird that sings in the dead of night.” 

“I suppose so.” 

They returned to bed shortly after. 


End file.
